Kite

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an improved kite having a body of sheet material secured to supports and having a steadying and guiding keel attached to the body. The sheet material has one or more openings so that the keel may be attached partly to a support and partly to the sheet material, thereby making the keel less likely to tear away from the kite body.

United States Patent Christoffel et al. 1 Aug. 29, 1972 [54] KITE3,412,964 1 1/1968 Johnson ..244/153 R Inventors, Julius v c fi Lester Fl Delaney l X lips, both of Housmn, 3,173,991 3/1965 Breakficld, Sr156/252 X [73] Assignee: Gayla Industries, Inc., Houston, p Emmine,Mi|ton Bucmcr Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Sauberer [22] Filed; July 31,970 Attorney-J. Vincent Martin, Joe E. Edwards, M. H.

21 Appl. No.: 59,942

52 us. Cl. .1441153 R [51] Int. Cl. ..B64c 31/06 [58] Field ofSearch....244/153, 154, 153R; 156/252 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,785,870 3/1957 Green ..244/ 153 R 3,347,500 10/1967'Hartig ..244/153 R X Gay, Alfred H. Evans and Jack R. Springgate [57 IABSTRACT This invention relates to an improved kite having a body ofsheet material secured to supports and having a steadying and guidingkeel attached to the body. The sheet material has one or more openingsso that the keel may be attached partly to a 'support and partly to thesheet material, thereby making the keel less likely to tear away fromthe kite body.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 29, 19 72 I Y Y 3,687,402

LESTER F PH/LL/Ps INVENTORS.

BY awn.

ATTO

JUL/us M. CHRISTOFFEL KITE This invention relates generally to keelkites, and particularly to a keel kite wherein improved means areprovided for securing the steadying and guiding keel to the kite body.

Keel kites as heretofore known in the art have comprised a body portion,rigidifying structural members and a guiding, steadying keel basicallytriangular in shape, and having an eyelet or other means for attaching aflying string. An example of this type of kite is shown in the U.S. Pat.to Green No. 2,785,870, issued March 19, 1957. A continuing problem withthis type of kite has been that the keel tends to tear away from thebody portion when the kite is subjected to extra loading due to a gustof wind or a sudden tug on the flying string.

It is therefore a primary object .of this invention to provide a keelkite which is more durable than those heretofore known.

Another object is to provide such a kite wherein means are provided forsecuring the keel partly to a rigidifying structural member so as tomake the keel less likely to separate from the kite body.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the drawing, the specification and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS- In the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate the preferred embodiment of 'the present invention, andwherein like numerals indicate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a kite constructed in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly cut away, of the kite of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, thereis shown a keel kite comprising generally a body portion and a keel 11.The kite body 10 is made up of a polygonal sheet 12 of thin, flexiblematerial such as plastic film, and of structural means for supportingthe sheet in its extended flying position. In our preferred form ofkite, these structural means are provided as follows: A center support13 of suitable material, such as wood or plastic, is secured to sheet 12preferably by means of an adhesive 14 disposed between the sheet 12 andsupport 13. The center support 13 is at least approximately as long assheetl2 and is secured so as to divide sheet 12 into two mirrorsections. Two side supports 15 and 16 are secured to opposite edges ofsheet 12, one being on either side of the center support 13. Twoconnectors 17 are mounted, one on each of the side supports 15 and 16,and are adapted to engage opposite ends of a crossbrace 18 which servesto maintain the kite in its extended flying position. The keel 11, whichis also formed of thin, flexible material, such as that of sheet 12, ispreferably in the approximate shape of a triangle having its longestside attached to the kite body 12, preferably by attaching the keel 11to sheet 12, andat least partially by adhesively securing keel 11 tocenter support 13 at one or more points, as will be hereinafterdescribed. In the preferred embodiment, the keel 11 is attached to sheet12 along the center line of sheet 12 approximately directly below thecenter support 13. In those forms of the kite where the keel l1 and thecenter support 13 extend beyond sheet 12, as shown in FIG. 1, then keel1 l is, of course, attached to center support 13 along that portion ofits length extending beyond sheet 12. A reinforced eyelet 19 forattaching a flying string 20 is provided near the free apex of keel 11.

As pointed out above, a major problem with keel kites has been atendency on the part of the keel to tear away from the kite body.Separation of the keel from the body most frequently initiates at ornear the leading point of the keels attachment to the body. Once thisleading point yields, the remainder of the failure occurs ratherquickly. The kite of the present invention overcomes this disadvantageby providing means whereby the keel is adhesively secured directly tothe center support 13, at least at one point near the keels leadingpoint of attachment to the kite body 10, thereby reinforcing theattachment at that point and making the keel less likely to tear away.

In the preferred manner of manufacturing keel kites, the supports,having an adhesive on their upper sides, are disposed on a work area,the sheet 12 is placed across the supports, and the keel 11 is placed onthe sheet 12. Heat is then applied to adhesively bond the sheet 12 tothe supports and to heat-bond the keel to the sheet 12. Experience hasshown the adhesive bond to be stronger than the heat bond. Therefore,adhesive bonding of the keel to the sheet 12 would help preventseparation of the keel, but would also add an extra step and increasedcost to the manufacturing process. The

kite of the present invention provides the advantage of adhesive bondingwithout adding steps or increasing costs by providing one or moreopenings 21 in sheet 12 whereby the portion of keel 1 1 overlying anopening 21 is exposed directly to adhesive 14 and is consequentlyadhesively secured to center support 13 at those points. One suchopening 21 at or near the leading point of the keels attachment to thekite body sufficiently reinforces that point to significantly reducefailure due to keel separation. If desired, a plurality of openings 21may be provided as shown in FIG. 2 throughout the entire length ofattachment of the keel to sheet 12. Of course, the openings should notbe so numerous or so close together as to reduce the strength of sheet12 below an acceptable level.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention isillustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size,shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustratedconstruction, may be made within the scope of the appended claimswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A kite comprising,

a body having a sheet of flexible material secured to structural meansfor supporting said sheet in an extended flying position, and

a keel disposed on the opposite side of said sheet from said structuralmeans and attached to said body,

said sheet having at least one opening therein so that I said keel isdirectly secured to said structural means through said opening and isattached to the remainder of said sheet along a line opposite saidstructural means.

2. The kite according to claim 1 wherein said keel is adhesively securedto said structural means near the foremost point of said keelsattachment to said body.

3. The kite according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of openings areprovided spaced along the length of 5 said keels attachment to saidbody.

said third structural member being disposed intermediate said first andsecond structural members and dividing said sheet into two mirror imagesections,

a keel of flexible material disposed on the side of said sheet oppositesaid structural members and approximately aligned with said thirdstructural member,

said sheet having at least one opening in registry with said thirdstructural member,

said keel being directly secured through said opening to said thirdstructural member by said adhesive and being attached to said sheet atthe sides of said opening along a line on the side of said sheetopposite said third structural member.

1. A kite comprising, a body having a sheet of flexible material securedto structural means for supporting said sheet in an extended flyingposition, and a keel disposed on the opposite side of said sheet fromsaid structural means and attached to said body, said sheet having atleast one opening therein so that said keel is directly secured to saidstructural means through said opening and is attached to the remainderof said sheet along a line opposite said structural means.
 2. The kiteaccording to claim 1 wherein said keel is adhesively secured to saidstructural means near the foremost point of said keel''s attachment tosaid body.
 3. The kite according to claim 1 wherein a plurality ofopenings are provided spaced along the length of said keel''s attachmentto said body.
 4. A kite comprising, a polygonal sheet of flexiblematerial, first and second structural members secured to said sheet nearopposite edges thereof, connector means associated with said fiRst andsecond structural members, a cross-brace adapted to engage saidconnector means while retaining said sheet in extended flying position,a third structural member secured to said sheet by means of an adhesive,said third structural member being disposed intermediate said first andsecond structural members and dividing said sheet into two mirror imagesections, a keel of flexible material disposed on the side of said sheetopposite said structural members and approximately aligned with saidthird structural member, said sheet having at least one opening inregistry with said third structural member, said keel being directlysecured through said opening to said third structural member by saidadhesive and being attached to said sheet at the sides of said openingalong a line on the side of said sheet opposite said third structuralmember.